


A Creature in the Woods

by sp00kworm



Category: Alien vs Predator (2004), Aliens vs Predators Series - Various Authors, Predator Original Series (1987-1990), Predators (2010)
Genre: Blood, Breeding, Breeding Kink, Canon-Typical Violence, Chopper - Freeform, Courting Rituals, Dau-Ih'kui, Displays of affection, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Gifts, Gun Violence, Human/Monster Romance, Hunting, Mating, Murder, Mutual Pining, Pining, Power Play, Romance, Rough Sex, Sheath - Freeform, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Violence, Xenophilia, Yautja, Yautja OC, alien dick, animal hunting, courting, rated E for 2nd chapter, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:53:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22392838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sp00kworm/pseuds/sp00kworm
Summary: The Predator watched from above, flicking from heat vision to enhanced zoom to watch you pick up the shivering animal. He silently watched you re-hide the creature and felt something akin to annoyance as you snapped the wire away from the tree and scowled, cursing the hunters for their traps. A deer would break its leg getting caught in such a trap. The Yautja pressed his wrist and pointed the screen towards you, your vitals and information quickly being noted by the contraption, recording you for later reference, as you freed and cut away snares around the area. Dau-Ih'kui hung from the branch, his feet pressed against the bark as he lowered himself closer, watching you move around in the trees, cloaked and invisible as he silently stood in the leaves. You almost grazed his arm as you rushed past, huffing and grumbling, your glove wrapped with the wires from his snares for little edible creatures. The male felt like growling as you detached his snares. He needed to eat, and the small stash of cooked bear meat wouldn’t last him a month. He watched you leave, your human shape swaying through the trees, and wondered if you would be back to spoil his other hunting spots.
Relationships: Yautja (Predator)/Female Reader, Yautja (Predator)/Reader
Comments: 32
Kudos: 675





	1. Part 1

The Universes’ Greatest Hunter. The name his race was given was well deserved. He’d seen the largest of his race bring home Xenomorph Queen heads. Many more had ended up in the gut of the beast, but the rewards and glory of being the one to server the head from it’s egg puking body was well deserved. He’d watched them cackle and roar, throwing the head at the feet of the clan chief. He’d wished it was himself that had the honour. Face-huggers were prizes of their own however, and even one Xenomorph was impressive. It wasn’t a Queen, but the shined dome of the monster’s head hung firmly over his wall. Perhaps a Queen would be better choice for his next hunt. The Yautja clicked softly, invisible against the woodland as he waited in the top of a large tree, listening to the sounds of the human planet around him. The coordinates he had been given were for the military base, and the hunter had broken them quicker than his tribe had broken the Queen on their last hunting trip.

The fear still lingered in the air, the pheromones clinging to the leathers of his clothing. The shoulder canon flared by his ear as he watched a deer trot beneath him. The antlers were pretty, but such an easy prize. The ears and teeth of the gun armed humans would be something pretty to give to a mate. Perhaps he could do the same with the gentle curves of the stag’s antlers. He huffed to himself, mandibles stretching and flaring beneath his helmet. His claws tapped against his thighs as he watched the animals start and run beneath him. The two vicious blades on his arm jolted free as he listened to the underbrush. A bear grumbled beneath him before pushing its great claws into the bark, mouth open and lips flared as it sniffed the air. It could smell him, like any other animal, but it could not see him perched in the branches over its head, dreadlocks and metal bands swaying and blades extended to take its head. The female bear roared up the tree again and the Predator watched, head tilted, curious, before curling beneath the branch to peer closer, hair hanging down around his helmet, still invisible. The bear grunted and thumped back onto the ground.

He struck then, blades slicing viciously through the meat of the Grizzly’s neck, taking its head clean from its body. The blood poured over the leaves, hot and sticky in the winter’s morning, creating steam. The Yautja male dropped from the branches after it, uncloaking to look at the fur more closely. It was brown and thick, the hair beginning to blot with blood. He was quick to unsheathe one of his wrist blades before slicing the beast open, taking the pelt with swift precision before plucking a few of its claws free for decoration, perhaps on a new necklace he would carve. They looked strong enough to him for a thick string to pass through without damaging the claw with the carving and drilling. He looked at his wrist, the map pulsing, the terrain unknown to his scanners. It was downloading data from its scans, mapping the terrain for him as he stood. There were primitive satellites overhead, enough for him to be able to map the area quickly. The base gave him the codes for the military ones, they were much quicker than others he had been using beforehand.

Perhaps now he could return to the ship.

A snap of twigs turned his head. The Yautja hunter clicked his cloaking back into place and was quickly back up into the tree, wet pelt over his shoulder, blood dripping from it onto the branch below. He held a clawed hand beneath the drip and waited, breathing slowly and quietly through the ventilation of his helmet. A hunter crouched underneath the branch.

“Jesus Christ, Mary and Joseph.” He uttered, rifle over his shoulder as he looked at the bear’s head, the tongue lolling out of it’s mouth, the meat of its body exposed to the cold elements. The hot body steamed in the leaves, and the Yautja watched the hunter cluck his tongue.

“Bastard took a female as well. Should know better than to kill the females.” He shook his head but left the head where it was. His hand reached towards the meat of the creature, tutting before calling for some sort of hound. The beast was soft, tail wagging as it came along, sniffing through the leaves before standing by its master. He would have snorted had he not been above the male human. The beast was tame and dull in the head. Some soft pet. But it wasn’t worth his time, nor was the male, unless he dared to touch his kill. Mercifully, the hunter shook his head and moved on, trudging quietly through the leaves with his dog at his heels.

The hunter was gone quickly, and the Predator dropped from the tree silently, claws curling as he stalked to the kill again, looking at the flesh. He drew a shorter blade and got to work cutting the meat from bone. It would be enough to keep for a while, so long as he could find his ship among the trees. The wrist gauntlet perhaps was damaged from the thump from the soldier’s rifle butt some days ago. He tapped the screen and attached buttons with a click of his mandibles, frustration growing as he tried and failed to get a lock on his own ship. He hooked the bear head on a claw before stripping it of it’s fur and meat, gouging everything free before admiring the skull and hooking it on his shoulder spike before setting off with the meat in tow, heading towards his ship. Hopefully for the last time, though he doubted the next coordinates would come fast enough.

The Yautja cloaked as he walked, leaving the bear to rot away in the leaves as he took the food and trophies back to his ship. A fire soon roared outside of the loading dock, the strips of meat speared on sticks, cooking as the Yautja looked at the trees, daring only then to slide his mask free and try to breathe the earthly atmosphere. It was passable, chugged with some form of chemicals but the oxygen was crisp and clean in the woodlands. He set to work fixing his gauntlet as the meat cooked, bright, burning orange eyes focused on the task at hand. The language churned over the screen as it restarted and sputtered. It would take some time to fix tonight. He drew a stick from the fire and pulled pieces of the bear free with his mandibles, pushing them past sharp teeth as he examined the crispy leaves around him, thankful for the thermal, durable netting over his skin, trapping his body heat to him beneath the pieces of armour. He took the fur in his claws and draped it over his lap, beginning to rub the dried blood away with a stiff brush, looking at the skin underneath before leaving it to hang and dry by the fire, taking more meat for himself as he moved into his ship to get a small amount of rest.

The next day there still wasn’t a present co-ordinate from his clan. There was, however, a hologram, downloaded into the message section of his ship. The Yautja male prowled towards the blinking light from his hammock, and pushed the com next to it, clicking and hissing the password for the ship to reveal the message to him. His Sister blinked into view, her head turned as she listened to someone before speaking in rough quick tones, her helmet scratched. He remembered her having got the scar along her neck as well.

“Dau-Ih'kui, the coordinates are still unknown. Our Father has been missing on the Homeworld. We suspect an ambush. Orbit the cesspit if you must. Stay safe for now. It will be perhaps a month.” Then she clicked out. He rolled his orange eyes and cracked his neck, wondering what sport could be had in such a gentle place outside of drawing more attention to himself. The bear skull was drying in the corner, the marrow weeping from it into a bucket. Stretching, he rubbed the drying skin over his head, turning to look at the scales and leathery skin, his sandy colour speckled with robust black markings over his eyes, red flicks curving over the edges of his spines and into the black patterning. His head tendrils bounced, still wrapped in shiny bands and leather, beads and small bones clinked as he turned.

His tusks and mandibles clicked as he thought about one of the loud-mouthed soldiers trying to pronounce his name. Humans had no grasp of their language, nor would they ever, he assumed as he pushed his claws inside of the skull and curled a lump of marrow from the brain before drawing that out too and taking the bucket to dispose of the bear remains outside of the ship, donning his armour efficiently, the helmet buzzing with activity and updates. The loincloth and leather kilt flapped as he dumped the festering blood, marrow and brain out into the leaves, hoping some scavenging creature would get rid of it before it really began to smell. He cloaked as twigs snapped, and watched a rabbit bound past, sprinting for its life before a fox followed with a huff. The male watched curiously as the fox missed and heaved, stopping the chase and letting the rabbit sprint out of its view, down into the burrow and to the safety of its warren. A poor hunter chased without a decisive outcome. Dau-Ih'kui returned to his ship before realising he would have to eat again. He dumped the bucket back under the bear skull before drawing a wire from his belt.

Snares would have to do.

The screams of a hedgehog drew you from your normal woodland walk. The soldiers hadn’t been through recently on their exercises, nor to try and harass you into abandoning your home for the money offered by the state. They wanted the whole of the woodland area for the camp, and you were the only resident left in their way. You were glad for it. The animals here would no doubt then fall prey to hunting permits and deforestation. Let them remove you forcefully in the end. You weren’t leaving for the pitiful amount of money they were offering. The land itself was worth triple the price. The hedgehog wailed again in the brush, no doubt trapped by a fox or in a little wire trap. You listened and moved gently through the leaves, scooting your boots through the decaying mess and thorns to try and reveal the creature. It screamed again and you looked at the base of a tree to see the sleepy creature, its foot caught in a vicious wire loop. Hushing the balled-up animal you reached for the snare and gently held the hedgehog with your scarf, trying to get the animal to be still. You took the scissors from your pocket and eased its foot out, snipping the wire quickly before spraying the leg with antiseptic and burying the hedgehog back into it’s leafy home.

The Predator watched from above, flicking from heat vision to enhanced zoom to watch you pick up the shivering animal. He silently watched you re-hide the creature and felt something akin to annoyance as you snapped the wire away from the tree and scowled, cursing the hunters for their traps. A deer would break its leg getting caught in such a trap. The Yautja pressed his wrist and pointed the screen towards you, your vitals and information quickly being noted by the contraption, recording you for later reference, as you freed and cut away snares around the area. Dau-Ih'kui hung from the branch, his feet pressed against the bark as he lowered himself closer, watching you move around in the trees, cloaked and invisible as he silently stood in the leaves. You almost grazed his arm as you rushed past, huffing and grumbling, your glove wrapped with the wires from his snares for little edible creatures. The male felt like growling as you detached his snares. He needed to eat, and the small stash of cooked bear meat wouldn’t last him a month. He watched you leave, your human shape swaying through the trees, and wondered if you would be back to spoil his other hunting spots.

A strange part of him hoped you would. Perhaps you would be better sport than the rabbits in their little burrows.

The Yautja reset his snares the next day, clicking to himself softly as he waited up in the tree, fiddling with the gauntlet on his wrist, claws curling into the bark to hold himself steady above the large snare he’d set. A deer swung from the branch, barking viciously loud, the stag’s antlers slamming around against the bark as it bucked and tried to free itself. This, you would have greater difficulty getting down, and Dau-Ih'kui was betting on it as he noted his snare locations and slid down from the tree to cut the buck free. He hissed as it’s antlers batted towards him and took hold of the beast’s head to hold it still as it thrashed around, mouth foaming with stress. It’s wide eyes were petrified, and it barked again, shouting, steam escaping from it’s mouth as it bucked at him before going still, breathing raggedly.

He barely had time to cloak before you burst into the clearing.

“Holy shit.” You breathed, though Dau-Ih'kui did not understand the curse through the translator installed in his helmet behind his ear. Humans had a strange, lip heavy language that he doubted he would ever master. He did not possess the facial features for such pronunciations.

“Calm down, shh.” You soothed the animal, hands outstretched. The alien stood still, breathing as quietly as his ventilator would allow, watching you gently touch the buck’s flank before taking hold of it’s horns and holding it still, the scissors clutched in your hand again. The deer sat still, heaving and panting as you snipped it’s leg free, lowering it onto its side before getting over it’s back and working to quickly remove all of the wire wrapped around it’s leg. It shook and barked again, gutturally as you pushed its head and bolted up and away, watching it get to it’s feet and bolt for the cover of thicker trees, no doubt to lick its wound and hide away to relax.

“These hunters need to go back to shooting these poor things.” You muttered, and Dau-Ih'kui watched you close, face perhaps ten inches from your own as you huffed and breathed, watching the deer bound away. The Yautja watched before clicking and hissing. He’d had enough of your meddling with his hunts. He needed to eat. These were not Trophies.

You fell on your backside as he decloaked in front of you, roaring through the metal of his helmet, claws sharp, advancing aggressively, his arms out and crouched low to the ground, ready to pounce should you threaten him.

“HOLY SHIT!” You reached for the scissors in your pocket and held them out in both hands, watching the creature prowl around you in a slow circle.

He reassessed his anger all too quickly, a female with nothing but half sharpened blades, both of which were attached together. You weren’t dangerous, and killing you was dishonourable in every way, never mind the fact humans were poor prey to begin with, even with important information about other alien species.

The alien creature paused his aggressive display, the eyes of his mask turning white, analysing your prone form on the floor, hands flexing. You eyed the two jagged blades on his wrist and placed the scissors aside.

“I suppose you’re the one that’s been stringing up animals?” You accused. The tone was sharp, demanding, like the tone the females of his species adopted to get their toy males to obey them. He ground his mandibles but nodded once, noting your question, answering it without speaking, not that you would understand the language he spoke. His hair tendrils wiggled, clinking the bones and beads together, as he stalked a little closer, thumping through the leaves, skulls on his shoulders, watching you, analysing you.

“Why?” You asked and Dau-Ih'kui listened to the translation in his ear. He ignored it. You weren’t worthy of that information. The Yautja peered down at you again and admired your soft, angry facial features, your hair, your form.

For a human woman, you were fearsome looking, and he felt the need to leave you alone, and the need to, perhaps, apologize. You didn’t know he needed to eat.

His claw pointed at himself over the mouth before he ducked and pulled a rabbit free from his back, holding it up for you to see, towering over you with incredible height, standing an easy seven foot tall, and bulk, muscles tight and large from years hunting great beasts.

“You eat them?” You asked.

The creature nodded before holding the rabbits and beginning to stalk away through the trees, intending to find the buck that you had released. The blood trail was hot over the leaves, and he tapped his helmet before jumping back into the trees, an impressive display of strength as he vaulted and dragged himself quickly through the branches, the leaves barely rustling as he went. The heat sensor picked the trail up easily and he ignored you, left behind, focusing on getting the stag, wondering if the horns and skull would be recompense enough for attacking you while you were unarmed. As he dropped onto the quarry, he decided all too quickly, peeling the skin away and taking the cleaned-out skull with a purr.

A knock on your door was unexpected, especially at eight o’clock in the morning. You placed your breakfast dish on the drainer, wiping your hands with a towel as you moved to unlock and open the door. Opening your mouth, you got ready to tell the Colonel to ‘piss off’ before being confronted with thin air. There was no one at the door. The chill crept up your arms as you looked outside, stepping forwards onto to tap against something placed on your doorstep. The skull span a little on the stone and you looked down in fascination at the set of antlers, sanded and plucked free of grime tenderly to make it an impressive thing to hang on the wall. Still, there was no sign of the creature that you were convinced was responsible for leaving the perfectly cleaned skull. It was either a macabre taunting joke, or it was a sign of something you didn’t quite understand. The thing could have killed you easily. Its’ hands were no doubt large enough to snap your neck with just one, yet it had let you live, hissing and clicking, ignoring you when you revealed the scissors. Unthreatening.

You picked up the skull, looking into its perfectly hollowed out eyes, and wondered if it had spared you because of honour or because you were that little of a threat. With a soft smile, you took the skull inside, closing the door with your foot, unaware of the Yautja watching you from the tree next to your property, recording the scene to watch back inside his ship, wondering why you smiled as you took his gift inside and placed it by the contraptions you had been using all morning to make food for yourself. Dau-Ih'kui watched with interest, cloaked and invisible, his shoulder canon twitching as he watched the smile back again. A ruckus sounded behind him and he peered over his shoulder, crouched in the tree, watching as a troop of human soldiers marched along the well-trodden path to your home. The male watched over the edge of the branch, his hands held over his thighs as he watched them march to your door, knocking on it like they owned your territory. Such males in his home world would be torn to pieces for daring to enter a female’s house in such a way. He’d laughed with the other Elites when a young male had attempted to court his Sister in such a brazen manner. She almost tore his arm clean off for the insolence.

Now he did not find it funny, watching the gun ridden soldiers’ glance around the woodlands, spooked, the fear leaking from them in palatable waves. His head tilted, tendrils falling over his shoulders as he watched them bang on your door again. The male was sure he had rid their infested base of everything able to wield a gun days ago, perhaps almost a week ago now, yet here a new batch of them stood, guns ready and eyes brainwashed with cold discipline. Unflinching to follow orders. He didn’t doubt they would shoot him on sight. They were looking for him. He wanted to laugh at their pathetic weapons. Bullets were inaccurate from such primitive barrels. He wondered again how they hadn’t advanced into plasma technology yet, and how their medicine was so far behind their own. Humans barely lived a century, whereas he had already lived for eight centuries. Dau-Ih'kui was barely old, still a mid range age of a hunter, old enough to have had the honour of hunting Xenomorphs but still not old enough to have seen an Elder die. Humans were strange enough already; he didn’t need to add their pathetic lifespans to that list.

Your form appeared in the doorway, and the male felt himself almost snicker in the tree as your face soured into obvious anger. These males would do well to stay clear from your path.

“Colonel, I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again, so maybe it sinks into your thick, fucking skull. I don’t want to sell you my land.” You hissed at the group, grabbing the edge of the door, ready to slam it in their faces.

“Miss, that’s not why we’re here. There’s been...an accident. Men have been slaughtered. We think it was one of our own.” Dau-Ih'kui tilted his head from the trees, confused by their lies, “We wanted to ask you if you’d seen anyone come through here recently?” The officer asked, frowning as his men flinched at a branch falling from a tree.

“No. I haven’t seen anyone but a bear trapper in recent days.” Now you were lying, your hands crossed over your chest defensively. Dau-Ih'kui wondered why you would defend him. He had been rude and cruel, an alien threatening violence where there was none to be had. His masked face turned, heat signatures blinking to life as he watched them rush through the trees again. The Yautja looked back at the house, watching your body walk away from the door before he tapped his wrist and jumped from the tree. Considering the electric trip wire, he looked through the window before setting it up either side of the white fence posts, slamming the charges into the ground with a hiss, laughing beneath his mask before he swung himself back into the tree and set off after the soldiers marching loudly through the woods.

They were scared when the first noises started, clicking in the trees, yet every time they turned the muzzles of their guns upwards, there was nothing but silence. The male was cloaked, walking along the branches, leaping to the next, in utter silence. As they neared a clearing, he made haste to get in front of the group, drawing trigger wires from his pouch and connecting it to two snares. If they scattered, they would quickly get snatched up. He was confident he would be able to track and hunt them through the terrain no matter where they went. Even if they didn’t, Dau-Ih'kui had his spear attached to his back. He could easily tear the creatures apart before they could blow off their guns near him. He clicked the cloaking on his armour and watched the men march into the clearing, their eyes still flicking upwards, wary as they drew close to the hidden snares. Dau-Ih'kui watched, his hand ready at his shoulder to reach for the spear. His claw twitched as he watched the first human step into the leg snare. The trip wire snapped, and the slip knot went tight around his boot, catapulting him upwards. The male screamed as he was flung upwards and a second scream followed quickly. Dau-Ih'kui clicked softly before launching two razor sharp spinning blades. Their throats split open and spurted hot blood over the leaves. The rest of the troop searched for him, fingers on the triggers of their guns.

They looked upwards for perhaps thirty seconds. No one moved. Dau-Ih'kui stood silently on the tree branch, cloaked, mapping their heat signatures, calculating the best route through them with a knife or spear. The shoulder canon whined, charging a shot. The soldiers swallowed. There was silence between them before a gun fired, one of them nervous, his trigger finger twitching. The Predator burst into action, leaping from the tree, spear catching one in the back of the neck as he fell. The end lodged itself into the spinal column, severing the nerves and arteries as it sliced through the front of the human’s neck, blood poured down its front. Dau-Ih'kui clicked in joy at the smell of iron. The spear withdrew with a snap, at the click of a button. Shots fired towards him, and the Yautja held the body of their comrade as cover, feeling the bullets smash into the body, mangling the flesh. One pinged from his helmet before he threw the body at them and fired a plasma shot. The male fell, a hole burned through his chest. Four more stood before him as he cloaked and moved into the trees again. Silence. He could smell the fear, perched over his next victim, claws outstretched, reaching for the bullet proof vest.

Dau-Ih'kui yanked upwards, leaning back to avoid the wild spray of bullets before dragging his knife over the man’s neck and clicking, slamming his shoulder through the end of the thick branch, watching the blood leak before he jumped, the tendrils on his head flaring upwards and slapping his back as he fell to the ground and span, the end of the spear cutting the man’s neck open, gun firing wildly, slamming the man across from him into the floor with the force of the spray. He grunted as he hit the floor before gurgling blood in his throat, a throwing blade lodged through the centre of his neck. The final one turned tail, the colonel, running for his life, back towards the place he knew he’d run to. Dau-Ih'kui hissed before recloaking himself, setting off at blaring speed behind the man before leaping back for the trees, watching as the man lagged. The Yautja waited in the tree overhanging the fence, finger poised over the release button for the trip wire.

As predicted, the colonel crashed through the clearing, sprinting for the front door of your home. He never noticed the trap until he crashed to the floor. Dau-Ih'kui tapped a button and watched the wire snap shut over his ankles before a current was delivered from the small battery packs. He watched him writhe, mouth foaming with the shock, deep in a convulsion, before laying still over the flagstones to your door. The Predator dropped from the tree, revealing himself, hair twisting over his shoulders as he reached a clawed hand down to grab the colonel by his ankle.

“Stop!” The front door to your home burst open, and the alien only tilted his head, helmet lit up bright white over the eyes, “He didn’t do jack shit to you!” He noted the scissors in your hand again and scoffed, a hissing noise behind the helmet as he held his prey up, regarding his skin and head, wondering what the best prize would be to take.

“Don’t ignore me!” You advanced on the male and stood your ground, scowling, eyes looking between him and the unconscious man in his clawed hand.

Dau-Ih'kui turned, the leather pieces of his kilt flapping, regarding you with a curious head tilt, inching the man back and out of your grasp. Your stance was aggressive, hands on your hips, yet your eyes were frightened. Perhaps because of the creature in his grasp.

A growl made you grab his other hand, holding the knife down and away from the soldier in his grasp, “If you kill him more will come.”

He tilted his head before shaking the man, speaking roughly into the translator, hissing and clicking violently, “More come anyway.” The helmet spouted, a conversion into poor English.

You froze, looking at the face of the metal helmet, mouth open.

The knife drew over the man’s neck before you could stop him, spurting blood over your soft jumper.

“Prey. Hunt.” The helmet buzzed out before he turned from you, dragging the bleeding body of the Colonel through the leaves, “Trophies.”

He left you stood in the leaves, face and jumper splattered with hot human blood, in the cold autumn air.

The corpses were rather useless to him, though he took to stripping away the meat from the bones, sniffing at the human flesh before grimacing. Distasteful. Most of it was full of chemicals. He took the lengths of thigh bone and arms before cracking ribs and finger bones away from cartilage. Dau-Ih'kui picked holes in them to let the marrow rot away and gathered his collection before holding a head in his hands, mandibles clicking as he looked at the colonel’s macabre face. He tore the eyes out with two claws and rattled the head, thinking and wondering how he was going to remove the brain without damaging the prize. He looked at the corpses and dragged them into a great pile before retrieving a flint from his belt, shoving leaves and dry branches around them before setting the bonfire alight. The Yautja turned away with his prizes and tittered, thinking about the soft human female that had interfered with the hunt. The anger pointed to a woman to win over, yet she was no Yautja, and many would never see a human as a life-mate. Yautja technology would lengthen lifespans by millennia if he did decide to pursue it.

His tribal upbringing screamed how foolish it was in the back of his mind as he peeled the skin from the human skull and set it on the bench in his ship. Gems to adorn the cavities, he reasoned, would look fetching, since no flowers could grow in the frigid temperatures. As he worked, he realised he had no idea of human customs. Dau-Ih'kui paused with the knife, claws tapping the wet bone as he thought for a moment. He killed a man in front of you, and slaughtered countless others. Who was he to dare offer gifts? His mandibles drooped at the thought of his advances being met with such disgust. He held the knife and tapped it against the bone. You had a dislike of the men, he knew that from your behaviour alone, yet they were of your kind. A dilemma curled around his mind as he reached to try and pull the brain from the back. His claws speared the flesh as he pondered the thought. Even if he went to the trouble of making this, would you even appreciate it? He’d never found a female Yautja that he wished to dare make an advance on in such a way. Siring pups was different. A mutual agreement, of which, he had no part in after the sexual act. He wasn’t scared of the females of his race, but his trophy collection paled in comparison to some elites. He wanted to bulk it out more, enjoy the hunt for a few more centuries, before he thought about finding a mate to share it with.

He peered down at the skull as he plunged it into a bucket of river water, washing the mucus and blood from the bone before taking a rag to it, cleaning the hollow cavities thoroughly. The bone was a dull white, the teeth a little stained from a life of coffee drinking, and Dau-Ih'kui hummed as he set to polishing every imperfection away, peeling the fillings away before sanding everything gently. The skull was set into a bucket of lacquer as he searched through his ship for adornments for the eyes and mouth. A geode sat in one drawer, forgotten after its gifting from a little tribe of strange blue skinned aliens on a moon. He prised the seal of the geode apart and tittered at the great, blue and purple crystals inside. It would be easy to chip them free and fasten them inside the bone, protruding like grotesque yet beautiful growths. Dau-Ih'kui tilted his head as he cracked the geode again, chipping away at the stone to get to the crystals inside before plucking them free with a small screwdriver and hammer he used to repair his armour. The longer crystals he glued around the edge of the eyes, inside the sockets, protruding outwards. He placed some behind the teeth and propped the mouth open with them. His final creation was a haunting skull, full of blue and purple mineral crystals. He picked the prize up in his clawed hands and turned it in the dying light, watching the sunset glitter through the minerals before purring softly, impressed with his own crafting skills.

The butchering of the soldiers weighed heavily on you for a while, and as you laid in bed that night you rubbed at your head, trying to remove the residual ache. Nothing was working. The cold towel and water were ineffective, and the painkillers simply dulled the ache some. With a sigh, you got out of bed, tying yourself in a sheer robe before shoving your slippers on before going out into the cold air of the house. The autumn air sent a chill down your spine as you turned on the kitchen light, clicking the kettle on to boil as you pulled a mug free and looked for a form of hot drink. A knock on the door sounded as you pulled open the cutlery drawer. You froze and listened. There was nothing but the yipping of foxes and the wind blowing through tiny cracks in the house. The wind howled as you looked through the peep hole in the door. There was no one there. You opened the front door and peered around before your slipper hit something on top of the step. It skittered in a circle. You reached down to pick up the human skull, cringing at the implication before noticing the beautiful crystals stuck in the eye sockets and in the jaw, spreading out between the teeth. It was gorgeous yet macabre. You held it under your arm, glancing around the clearing as your teeth chittered in the cold.

“Thank you…Though I’m not entirely pleased you killed someone to make me this gift. They didn’t do anything wrong. They’ve been harassing me about my land for years…yet I’m thankful you cleared them away. I know a lot of them were not good people.” You felt stupid talking to the night air, yet you knew he was there, listening in the trees above. It had the ability to go invisible, you knew that, but you hopped the alien would reveal himself.

A whirring noise sounded before the creature appeared in front of you, his helmet covered face inches away from your own, “Gift.” He offered, the voice robotic and metallic. You knew it was the work of some software inside his metal helmet. The eyes flicked from red, to white, to black again as he stood over you. The creature didn’t move, standing stock still as you clutched the jewel covered skull in your hands.

“Do you not know how to give normal gifts where you come from?” The sentence was perhaps a little more venomous than intended.

He tilted his head, listening to the translation in his ear, “Trophy is great honour to be gifted.” The tone was blunt, devoid of life, “Name?” He asked, though the robot talking for him sounded no friendlier.

You took a deep breath before offering your hand and saying your name slowly for him. The helmet buzzed and his eye holes flicked to white again, tracking your movement.

He pointed to himself, tapping a claw to his chest, “My name Dau-Ih'kui.” The alien continued to tap his shoulder armour.

“Can you pronounce that a little slower?” You asked, listening to the machine whirr and pronounce it more exaggerated, the syllables longer, “I don’t think I can say that very well. Dow-Ee-Koo?”

He chortled at your attempted and shook his head, the thick coils of head tendrils patting at his shoulders, the bone and feather decorations clicking together, “Dau-Ih'kui.” He grumbled this time, the computer silent in his helmet. The hissing pronunciation was something you would struggle to replicate, but you followed his pronunciation as best you could before sighing and smiling at his covered face.

“Can I give you a nickname?” You ran your fingers over the crystal edges embedded in the skull. The alien nodded, “Okay then...What about Chopper? I assume it was you that shot that helicopter a few weeks back?”

The creature nodded, no tact, no regret for what he had done, “Loud thing. Poorly designed.” Dau-Ih'kui's translator spat out for him.

“Then Chopper it is, for now, until I can get the hang of your name.” You looked at his face plate again before asking your next question, “How long will you be here for? Isn’t your hunt over now you’ve...hunted the prey?”

He shook his head softly, his dreadlocks wiggling over his shoulders before he looked at his wrist and flexed the arm wrapped with the bracer.

“Do you still have things to hunt?” You asked, opening the door again with one hand.

“No hunt. Wait for next coordinate from home.” The robotic voice tittered before the male tried to peer around you and into your abode. All he could make out was stairs and lots of wood. His eyes lit up white again as he looked inside, mapping what he could.

“Hey, you know its rude to stare into people’s houses.” You teased, a smirk curling on the edge of your lips. The alien looked down at you and shrugged, his eyes going dark again, “You can come in if you promise not to gut me or hang me from a tree.

Chopper snorted at you, almost sounding offended, “Female is not prey.” Though he didn’t elaborate as he ducked through the doorway, wrist computer blaring as his laser tracking guided itself over the walls, the pulse canon on his shoulder quivering.

Closing the door, you sighed as the alien peered around the lounge room, claws moving to touch the soft material of the two seat sofa, clicking to himself as he went, scanning and mapping, looking for traps that perhaps you had hidden. When he deemed everything normal, he trudged over to the kitchen, his dreadlocks sweeping around the side of the door as he peered inside, throwing his head back with a click before he stepped onto the tiles and looked around at the strange devices. Although his people had weapon technology that humans could only dream of, most cooking was done with primitive fire stoves, and that was a rarity. He’d seen intergalactic versions but the burning gas of the hob amused him nonetheless for a moment before he looked at the kettle and picked it up by the handle, sloshing the hot water side to side before he poured it over the teabag for you. A quick learner, you noted.

“Do you always keep the helmet on?” You asked as he pushed the hot mug closer to your cold hands, “Surely you’re not that bad looking underneath?” Your laugh made him tilt his head, the mesh over his chest stretching as he puffed up, spines down his torso prickling.

“Face different from human.” He offered before reaching for the edges of the helmet.

“It can’t be that scary!” You laughed and sipped the tea in your hand, holding the mug close to your face.

“As you wish.” The voice of the translator technology grumbled before releasing the pressurized latches on the helmet, pulling the chin up slowly before taking it to the side, revealing the very alien face of the male before you. A long forehead was surrounded by long tendrils, black and sleek, wrapped with metal rings, while decorations of bone pieces, beads and feathers hung within them. His eyes were like fire, burning orange, flecked with black and brown in the middle. The large mandibles flared, tusks stretching to reveal a deep-set mouth and sharp teeth. His skin was smooth, yet littered with small spines, each dipped in dark brown and black, flicked with red while red and brown patterns curved over his brow bone and along the dome of his head towards his head tendrils. The spines flared, puffing out as he trilled at your attention, trying to appear bigger, like some soft a reptilian looking cat. The light brown of his skin was rimmed around a sandy colour. He was frightening, but he was no doubt pretty to his own kind. You caught the thought before it could go any further.

The smile on your face confused him, and the male raised his brows at you in confusion.

“You’re not that scary. I mean, if you were chasing me, I would be terrified, but you’re not ugly. Strange to me, yes, but not ugly.” You sipped your drink again and watched the alien chitter to himself.

“Not…cute.” He grunted before vaguely gesturing to your drink.

“Oh, here, I’ll make you one.” You questioned your sanity as you pulled out a large mug for him, placing the tea bag inside and pouring hot water over it before offering it to the large alien, “I know it’s a little rude, but just what are you?”

Dau-Ih'kui’s mandibles flared and moved before he uttered out, “Yautja. Predator race.” He tried to dictate in very poor English, the ‘p’ noise slurred completely, as he curled his hands around the mug and tilted his head, pointing a single claw at the rim.

“Oh, shit, you don’t have lips. Uh.” You searched in the cupboards for something he could use before pulling out a small plastic jug, “Can you use this?” You offered the jug and watched the male pour the cooling tea into it before placing the spout past his teeth and pouring. He took a large mouthful and swallowed before clicking again, showing his enjoyment by drinking some more.

“Calm down, big guy!” You chuckled as he eyed the tea bag in the bottom of the jug and placed it aside, “You’ll choke if you chug things.”

Confusion washed over his features before he peered around and found the crystal skull once more. Chopper took it into his hands before offering it to you again.

“Gift. Make happy?” He strode over, forcing the human skull into your hands again, “Display?” The words were slurred and littered with hissing, his tongue tying around many of the easy syllables.

“You want me to put it up?”

He nodded before pointing to the hallway, and the large side table pushed up against the wall. You followed and gently placed the skull on top of the table, watching it glitter with the light from the kitchen. Chopper clicked and turned it to face the door.

“Why are you leaving me things? You left me the deer skull and antlers before this…Why? I’ve not helped you.” You asked, clutching at your arms, wrapping yourself protectively. He didn’t understand until his helmet buzzed from the table, chittering in his own language.

The Yautja nodded his head, “Could have told soldiers…” He fumbled with his claws, trying to think of the words before he strode around you, arms swinging before he pulled his helmet back over his head, hissing into the translator, “Attractive. Feisty female. You could have told the soldiers about me.” He confessed, thankful for the mask to hide the creeping green blush over his cheeks. For some reason this was nerve wracking in an entirely new way. Yautja females were not so demanding, nor wished to know a ‘why’ to his advances.

Was it not obvious? Perhaps human had other forms of courting?

“Do humans have other courting rituals?” He asked robotically through the mask.

You spluttered for a moment, coughing on your own spit as he tapped a claw against the crystals on the skull, “What do you mean, courting rituals!?”

“Ways to woo the females of the species.” He answered, standing still, breathing quietly. Unfazed.

“Uhm…” Hands flew to the edges of your sleeves as you tried to think of something to tell the male Yautja, “I mean…I don’t.” A deep sigh escaped you mouth, “Um. Flowers are a common approach or asking the person out somewhere?” You offered, watching the male’s spines puff up again.

“Understood.” And like that he was out of the door, “Find better gift. Prove worth.” Before he was off, into the woods, leaves crunching as he went.

“Hey!” But he was gone, leaving the door and the gate open as he left.

Chopper didn’t come crashing through the trees again for a while. A routine developed for you as you went about your life. Feeding the chickens that pecked at the back lawn was more of an excuse to investigate the trees and hope that the huge Yautja would tear into the clearing, some trophy held in his fist. It was wishful thinking. For two weeks you fed the chickens and gazed at the trees, sighing when Dau-Ih'kui didn’t reappear. The hens clucked as you threw them their daily grain in amongst the lawn, chuckling at their disgruntled wing flapping. You didn’t have much time before you had a conference call with your boss. It was nice being able to simply work with an internet connection. It was also nice to not have the soldiers banging on your door, giving you another price for the land your home was built on. There was no way you'd ever give it to them. Maybe even less so now that Chopper was lurking in the woods. Penny, the largest Hen, clucked before trilling at your feet. With a laugh, you threw another handful of grain before locking the run again, ensuring no hungry foxes would be able to break into the poor birds.

“Female.” The mechanical voice of a familiar alien buzzed behind you before the robotic pronunciation of your name followed.

With a gasp, you span around, peering at the rippling Woodlands around you, “Chopper?” You asked.

A rush of air filtered through his helmet before the space in front of you rippled, contorted and fuzzed into a new shape. The Yautja clicked, flexing his spines, pushing his rubber like dreads over his shoulder, brown toned skin flexing underneath the matrix of netting, “Yes?” The helmet buzzed as you pushed yourself away from the muscled, armour plated chest that had materialized in front of you.

“Jesus Christ. You scared the shit out of me!” You scolded him, holding your bucket of chicken feed close.

The Yautja tilted his head, the eyes of his mask glowing, clawed toes curling into the dirt as he peered at the chickens behind you, “Apologies.” He looked around you as you stepped in front of the chickens. The alien clicked and leaned down, claws poking through the chicken wire to try reach the birds. Penny nipped his finger before returning to scrounging for beetles. Chopper huffed, “Birds only good for food.”

You laughed, “That’s what they are used for. They lay eggs and eventually I take a few of the girls to eat.” With a sigh you watched the alien, noticing the pouches attached to his belt.

“Where have you been? You’ve been gone for nearly a fortnight.” Curiously you asked before placing the chicken feeding bucket back into the little outhouse. The alien didn’t answer right away, claws smoothing his cod-piece and kilt before he adjusted the ring of skulls over his hip.

He reached upwards and undid his helmet, revealing his mandibles and tusks as he shook his tendrils over his shoulders, hissing something in his own, harsh language. The helmet in his hand translated, “Busy preparing. Have come to collect you and show you something.”

You were curious, “Show me what?”

Chopper shifted before running a claw over his wrist band, bringing up a satellite image and a blinking marked location, “Here. My ship.” He pointed a claw at the red dot and purred soothingly as he watched your reaction.

“You want to show me your ship?” You asked, feeling happiness curl on your lips.

Chopper clicked softly, brows moving down, smooth skin wrinkling, hoping that the bearing of teeth wasn’t a display of upset.

“That’s really touching.” You smiled wider and Chopper hissed, listening to the helmet’s translation with confusion. He tilted his head as you tried to phrase it another way, “I would love to see your ship…Wait, are you asking me out on a date?”

The Yautja rolled his shoulders, turning his head to ensure that you couldn’t see the flustered look on his face, the deep green colour on his cheeks embarrassing. He nodded, the rubbery tendrils attached to the curved sides of his skull rippling over the backs of his shoulders. The bands glittered as he turned in the sunlight and pointed again at his wrist gauntlet, and at the map still being projected alongside the strange changing alphabet of his language.

“Right now?” You sighed as he firmly nodded, “Wait here. I need to go and tell my boss I’ll be away for a while.”

“Leader is inside home?” He grumbled, grabbing his helmet, pulling it on his head, ensuring it sealed against where his dreadlocks started.

You panicked, peering back outside of the outhouse as Dau-Ih'kui marched back towards the door of your home, “No! She’s not here! Chopper!” You grabbed hold of alien’s gauntlet, tugging him back, and failing to stop his stride. The seven-foot creature rumbled at your tugging, “I have to message her! I won’t have you storming in there and losing me my god damn job!”

Dau-Ih'kui bowed his head at your harsh words, claws lowered and mouth clicking as he backed down. To go against her word was to offend a female deeply. At least, within his clan, to oppose the female you were trying to court was to earn her scorn and to put yourself at the bottom of the list to be with her. The sudden submission was odd, especially for the alien which was typically rather headstrong.

“What’s with the sudden sadness?” You asked with a smirk.

Chopper lowered his visor covered eyes again, claws rippling in a rhythm over his thigh, “Female word is law.” He tittered through the translator, “Not sad. Respect.” He offered you the door, watching as you walked into the house. The alien didn’t follow, but stood outside, watching the perimeter as you went to tell your boss about your intentions to take the rest of the day off. A little lie about a leak was enough to have her suspicions cleared.

The Predator was stood outside, fiddling with his gauntlet, the alien language flashing across the three small screens as he typed things out with the various little buttons and altered co-ordinates. He turned his helmet covered face a little before nodding.

“Finished?” He asked softly through the helmet.

“Yep. Looks like she doesn’t really need me for the rest of the day either.” You smiled and took the alien’s arm as he peered from his wrist to your face.

The creature peered down at where you held onto his mesh covered arm, fingers flexing before he turned back to his map and closed it down, “Good. This way.” He moved forwards slowly, one great stride nearly two of your own, heading towards the tree line with another fried glance at your chicken coop.

“When we get back how about I make you something with chicken in? You seem enthralled with them after all.” The teasing was ignored by your escort, his reply merely a soft click as he greeted tired with the slow pace, weaving in and out of the trees. His large claws and paws were adapted for running at unnatural speeds, on land and in the trees. Dawdling like a human was making him annoyed.

With a snap of his rubbery tendrils, he looked down at you, claws gripping your waist before he flicked you up and into his arms.

“Woah, big guy! You can’t just whip a girl off her feet like that!” Laughing you patted his armoured shoulder, the pauldron warm from his skin. Chopper's head tilted in confusion before he turned his sandal covered feet into the earth and took off running, snapping between trees quicker than a dog after a bird. It was all you could do to cling to the Male’s neck as he ran at breakneck speed over roots and through the closely packed trees. He was seemingly deaf to your screech as he leaped over a great sink hole and landed perfectly on the other side. The Yautja repressed the urge to purr as you pressed your face under his helmet and held his neck tight, trying to stop the wind biting at your eyes. He ignored the pressure and focused on bouncing himself up to the ridge of trees, scaling the impact his ship had made in the dirt before standing still and tittering softly. With a shuddering breath, you pushed your face out of the Alien’s spine covered shoulder and gazed into the hole at the spacecraft in the centre. It was functional from the looks, its hull propped up by landing legs and the door opening as Chopper clicked a few buttons on his wrist. It hissed and slid open, the hatch lowering to allow for people to enter. A soft grumble let you know that he was on the move again, sliding into the hole with ease before he put you back on your feet. The ship was suddenly intimidating without Dau-Ih'kui beside you.

Dau-Ih'kui moved towards the hatch and stepped up the ramp, thighs flexing under the camouflage netting of his body suit before he turned and helped you inside, helmet lighting up inside the dark space. He uttered something to himself before tapping at his wrist again. The lights inside hummed to life, some form of generator buzzing before the control panels and lights down the centre of the ship came on with bright white light. The interior was now visible, and you gawked at the futuristic dark metal and the number of skulls littered over various work surfaces. All of them were clean and sat awaiting decoration or hanging from his walls.

“This is amazing.” You breathed, looking down at the skull in your hands, trying not to think of the man or woman it had come from, “It’s like being in some weird Sci-Fi movie.” You joked, though you knew the translator wouldn’t be able to do the joke justice.

Chopper grunted in vague amusement, “Humans are easily entertained. This is normal for my world. You are behind on many things. I have not seen such primitive medicine before.” He notes as he tucks the human skulls beneath a tarp from your sight. The Predator pointed to some form of animal skull stowed in the back, “That is more interesting. Hunted the creature for three weeks.”

You peered at the skull and laughed, “Its huge!” The horns were great and curved, ebony in colour, “And pretty. You’re pretty good at all this stuff, huh? Not many humans can do this sort of thing anymore.” You observed as you left the skulls and glanced at his control panels.

The Yautja followed you, not stopping your investigation of his ship. He had nothing to hide from you, and it would be rude to demand where you could and could not go. He was thankful the skulls were not offensive for your tastes.

“Do you live on this ship?” You looked around aimlessly, “Doesn’t it get lonely?”

Chopper clicked a panel on the wall, revealing a small sleeping quarter, “We live solitary lives. I am used to my…own company.” He rephrased through the translator, clicking as he moved to close the door again, striding over to the flight deck of the ship.

You followed quietly, feeling sad that the male had been alone for so long, “So have you been alone since you…well since you could hunt?”

He shook his head, tendrils snapping over his shoulders, “I have hunted in parties. Sired offspring. My clan has regular socialization events.” It felt hollow, coming from the big male’s chest in a sad rumble.

“You don’t have a partner then?” You felt embarrassed asking, “I thought for sure a male with your talents would.”

Dau-Ih'kui was glad you couldn’t see the green flush on his cheeks, “I am not old enough.” He rumbled, “I am…close to seven hundred in your human years.” He confessed.

Suddenly, the disparity between the two of you was obvious. Your lifespan was a blink to him it seemed, and what he wanted was completely foreign to you. Even his difference in technology was alienating.

“Are you okay?” A hot, leathery hand closed around your arm, rubbing gently at the coat covering your form. Even the cold didn’t bother him with his insanely high body temperature.

You smiled, “I’m fine. I just realized how different we are.” Muttering, you turned away from his ship controls and moved back out into the main area.

He caught you in the main deck area, “You are not fine. Humans do not scowl in such a way without being upset.” His fingers were gentle as he moved his hand upwards to poke at your brow and stroke over the soft skin of your cheek.

The towering alien made you sigh, “I just…” You took his hand and admired the coloration and heat of it, “We’re very different Chopper. Literally, we’re from two different worlds. What you want from me, probably isn’t a good idea, as much as…As much as I’d like to imagine it is.”

Dau-Ih'kui scoffed, “Human is leaking saltwater from her eyes.” He swiped at the liquid and wiped it against his skin, “Your customs are of value to me if you wish for me to follow them. I do…not like seeing you upset.”

Kindness from a creature that had known you for less than a month, yet for some reason it was comforting. Chopper was a little bit like a constant guardian to you now, diverting any trespassers with brutal force if they were not easily scared off.

Dau-Ih'kui held out his hand, “You have not seen my surprise.” He waited for you to take his hand before walking you back towards his work desk, the skulls pushed aside out of view. He carefully wrapped an arm around your shoulder, trying to comfort your sniffling as he pulled out a block of wood.

He pressed a claw to the side of the piece and watched the three-dimensional image of the forest come to life, projected from some sort of device inside of the carved wood.

“You did this for me?” You sniffled and smiled, “Is this where you were for so long?” Teasingly you poked the alien’s side, ignoring his gruff grumble for the prodding.

“Skulls are not traditional human courting gifts. This is …pretty.” He rolled his shoulders, “Humans like trinkets?” He asked.

You didn’t answer Dau-Ih'kui but reached to click the small buttons underneath the chin of his helmet. His hands moved to help you remove it, slowly revealing the leathery skin and spine covered jaw of the Yautja male to you. Burning orange eyes looked down at you as you turned off the gift, smiling at the wood before leaning up. The alien stood still, feeling the pressure of your lips against his cheek, wondering what the reason behind the strange display was.

His head tilted, “This is common human affection?” the syllables were poorly pronounced but you got the idea easily enough.

“Sure. It was a thank you for the gift. It’s gorgeous.” You reached for the wood again before the alien took hold of you, his arms grabbing you by the waist. Mandibles flared as he looked at your surprise, tusks tapping before he leaned in close and stroked the strong bones of his mouth parts over the tops of your cheeks, the dome of his head pressed to your forehead. It was a gentle gesture and Chopper clicked before hissing softly, placing your feet back on the floor.

You felt hot, the streaks of Yautja spit over your cheeks making you nervously wipe under your eyes, “Was that your version of a kiss?” Teasing him seemed to make the alien uncomfortable, and his cheeks went a little green under your attention.

“Yautja do not...keez.” The poor male couldn’t even say it as he turned back to find his helmet, wishing to hide his face from your prying eyes. A laugh made him grip the helmet a little too tightly, the metal creaking between his hands as he turned back to look at you.

You laughed brightly before smiling at Chopper, “Then what was what you just did to me?”

The male shrugged his shoulder, “Yautja affection.” He stated like fact before placing his helmet away and turning on the lights in the next room of his ship, “Do you wish to stay?”

The ship wasn’t the most welcoming place, “Tell you what. How about we go back to mine? I’ll make you some dinner, like I promised?”

The alien considered the offer for a second before plucking his helmet back from the bench, “That is kind.” Dau-Ih'kui clicked once, twice, then pulled his helmet over his spine covered forehead. Before he could pull it the whole way down you snatched his hands and kissed the corner of his mandibles again before dancing out of his reach down the ramp to his ship.

With a growl, he pulled down the helmet and followed with a swagger, “Woman is infuriating.”


	2. Part 2

The chickens were clucking and screeching. You were up early as always, your days off at the weekend meaning there was still no time for rest. The Yautja knew this and tended to stop by when you were free rather than gaining your wrath as you tried to work in the office. He was adept at unlocking even the most firmly locked doors. It was either by blowing it open or snapping open the locks with his claws. You’d quickly learned to dead bolt the bathroom when he burst in as you were showering. Embarrassing but at least it taught you Yautja were like headstrong Bulldogs most of the time. Chopper was no exception, though he did apologise for dishonouring your body by getting on a knee, head bowed. It was odd, such a shift in culture to what you were used to. You sighed as the chickens screeched and flapped again in their run. A shimmer over the leaves made you throw open the window.

“CHOPPER YOU LEAVE THOSE CHICKENS ALONE!”

The shimmer paused and a hiss regarded you before he decloaked and his helmets eyes glared at you, “They are loud. I wished to surprise you.” He lamented before stalking up the path, looking back at the chickens with curled fists and a click, “Traitorous guard birds.” He hissed as he reached the door, claws pointing at the birds as he opened the back door. It thumped but didn’t open and before he could spit and raise a foot to it, you clicked the locks open and swung it open with a snicker.

“Even a door is a traitor to you today.” You teased the male as he entered the house, usual attire in place, mesh and armour, shined with recent polish. He must have been occupying time still as he waited for his coordinates. With a hiss he released the helmet, burning eyes squinting at the unfiltered light through the window before he placed it neatly on the counter and shook his hair out. It was different, tied between his shoulders to keep the long strands out of his way as he moved. The thick rubber was hung with little metal chain, feathers attached to the ends. Your observation made his chest swell.

“Show off.” You teased again as you took hold of his rubbery tendrils and looked at the band holding them together. Chopper held still as your fingers trailed over his dark hair, fingers looking at the tough, thick black feathers hung from his hair. They were larger than any bird you has ever seen and the toughness of them suggested it wasn’t an animal from Earth. Still you took one faintly between your fingers and marvelled at the colour and stiffness. The end was sharp, almost serrated, and you marvelled at it, removing your fingers before they were cut open. Dau-Ih'kui was quick to catch your hands as you wandered further over the feathers and span to look at you, prickly brow furrowed in confusion before one was raised curiously.

“They cut.” Was all he offered as he turned your hands over to inspect the soft palms, “From a...” He hissed towards the helmet which beeped, “Steel Bird.” Chopper pushed his fingers between your own, the heat of his skin stifling, rough and calming to touch.

“A steel bird?” You pretended to not believe him before smiling, “They’re pretty. Your hair looks nice pulled back like that.”

The Yautja puffed at the attention and compliments before pulling the ponytail over his shoulder. With a claw he popped one of the chains free and took the quill of the feather between his fingers before tucking it near your ear. He nodded before moving to sniff at the food you had out on the side.

“Dinner?” He clicked, claws moving to mess with the vegetables laid out on the chopping block. He quickly took stock of the chicken that was half prepared.

“Well more like lunch...for me and you if you want to hang around?” You offered.

Dau-Ih'kui's head tilted as he regarded you, “It would be a great honour.” He pressed his clawed hand over his hearts and bowed his head, “Is it the traitorous bird meal?” His fiery eyes glared towards the coops in the garden, the orange burning before he looked back to them and the small chicken sat in front of him, feathers and limbs gone.

“Yes, but it’s one I went and picked up from town.” You couldn’t help but laugh as he rumbled, regarding the knife on his hip and the clucking hens in your garden.

Your sigh made the Yautja slide the knife away and thump around the table, his paws and high ankles an amusing sight against the cold tiles.

“You know you don’t have to be so alert all the time. And you don’t have to wear armour and stuff inside. You’re safe here.” The male growled at your cooing and regarded your fingers with a once, up and down, mandibles waving above his cheeks.

“I have nothing else to wear. This is a mission.” Chopper regarded you with a ludicrous look, not believing what was coming out of your mouth.

“Aren’t you cold in mesh and metal?” Ignoring his huffing and clicking you turned back to the hob, used to his little tantrums.

The Yautja clicked, tusks snapping, “It is beyond human comprehension the complexity of this material. It keeps me warm just fine.” He snorted, claws clicking on the stone as he moved back around the table to observe what you were doing. His eyes followed your hands as you pushed rosemary into the chicken’s skin and placed it into a roasting tin with a thin covering of olive oil.

“Well wouldn’t you like to wear something else?” You baited, “I could give you something?”

In truth your trip into town had also seen you grab some little bits for your Yautja guest. Although he was pursuing you in a romantic way, it had yet to feel much like it. He came and went as it suited him, and never stayed too long, back on his ship to scout, hunt or check for updates. The ‘big and tall’ section proved useful for you though it was really all just guessing in regard to the huge alien’s sizes. You hoped extra, extra large was enough give. The male sniffed at your shoulder, almost like he could smell you cooking a plan rather than lunch.

“You have something planned…” He observed with a grumble, claws tapping along the counter in front of you, trapping you against the surface with his bulk, “…Would it make you…joyous?” His helmet buzzed to correct the word, “Happy?” He offered before a mandible swiped over your hair.

Humming, you took a carrot and looked up at the prickly face of Chopper, smiling at the red little love-heart looking patterns at the base of his thorn like spines, “It would.” You leaned up and kissed the base of his chin as his mandible came down to pat at your own chin, stroking the skin.

“Then I will do it.” Chopper backed off instantly, giving you room as he placed his hands on his hips, leather kilt moving as he eyed the room.

With a chuckle you pointed to the living room, “On the sofa.” You continued to slice the vegetables and left the alien to find the bag of things you had gotten him.

Apparently, head holes for humans, did not match Yautja. A hiss and a bang sounded from the other room and turned you away from your vegetables.

“Chopper?” You asked carefully before placing the knife down and wiping your hands, moving towards the door. A figure slammed it open before you could even open it an inch and the male rushed through; head wedged in the hole of a sweater.

“This is humiliating!” He hissed, mandibles flaring under the material, poking at the soft fleece stuck over his head as he restrained himself from tearing at the thing.

A laugh made him growl but he stood still when your hands reached upwards, “Hey now, bend down, I’ll help you!” You snickered and watched him bend at the knee and over to let you see what he had done. It was simply wedged over his hair tendrils, and you eased your fingers in the back and front before wiggling the hold over the globe of his head.

Chopper’s face appeared before you, brow furrowed and teeth clenched, “The bottoms are restrictive.” He complained before holding up the torn jeans, yet he seemed fine in the jogging bottoms you had also bought, “Though these are warm.” He tried to compliment as he placed the claw marked jeans on the table.

“Well, at least you liked something.” You picked up the jeans with a sigh before smiling at the fuzz covered alien, “Are you nice and cozy, Chopper?”

The Yautja nodded before scowling, “They are insulating…But I will be too warm when those…Radiators? When the heat comes on.” He finished with a huff, leathery, hardened skin looking out of place in such fluffy, comforting clothing.

“I’ll turn it off for now!” You cheered as you returned to slicing the long carrots.

“All of this to see me in human clothing?” He purred, watching you cut the vegetables, “Here.” He reached for his thigh and drew a hunting knife. You’d failed to notice the Yautja restrap the thigh holster, but he edged his way to the cutting board, flicking the knife around his fist before deftly cutting the carrot into pieces similar to your own.

“Well, if anything I can use you as my personal vegetable cutter!”

The Yautja scoffed, “My blades are not for your vegetables.” Before softening as you leaned on his shoulder, “More efficient cutter than ‘ooman.” He clicked his teeth and flared the mandibles on his face with a tilt of his head.

“Are you mocking my vegetable cutting skills?”

“They are lacking.”

“I’ll show you lacking when I eat all the food without you!”

Chopper huffed a series of clicks before going back to watching as you put the vegetables into pans with water.

Lunch quickly approached, and you popped your head around the door just as Chopper was about to investigate the DVD player in his boredom.

“Food?” He hissed, claw curling back into his fist away from the buttons of the DVD player. The TV was on and buzzing static.

“Yep. Its all ready whenever you are.” You looked to the alien and snickered, “I’ll show you how to work it later if you want?”

Dau-Ih'kui scoffed, “I have figured it out. Your primitive human technology…”

“Isn’t hard to work. Yes I know sweetie but let me have this for once yeah?” You cooed as he followed you to the table.

“You have never used such a name…” He was quick to point out your slip-up.

“It’s a…term of endearment.” You tried to avoid blushing as you placed chicken onto two plates, piling the seven-foot alien’s higher than your own.

“Endearment…” He digested the word, mandibles clicking before green spread across his face, “You flatter me.” He confessed, “But I am not sweet.”

It was maybe a little lost on him, but you knew the Yautja understood the true meaning, “Fine then. My big, handsome murderous man.” You finished plating Chopper’s lunch and placed it before him, “Roast chicken with enough for two people on one plate will suit you right?”

The Yautja peered at his plate and then at the utensils. A flat spoon. You’d gone out of your way to get him cutlery that would work with his lack of flexible lips. Chopper took the small knife in hand and cut a piece of the chicken before eating it without a care. The rest of the food was quick to follow, the alien considering the orange carrots before chewing those down as well.

“Slow down, Chopper! You’ll choke!” You laughed after a mouthful of potatoes. Still, you smiled watching the Yautja, in his tight sweatpants and hoodie, wolf down the food you made him. Only when he had cleared his plate did he pause to speak, mouth miraculously clean despite his speed eating.

“Did you like it?” You asked as you continued to eat your own portion of chicken.

“Another portion?” Chopper hissed questioningly.

“Of course you can. Help yourself sweetie.” He did help himself…specifically to the entirety of the rest of the chicken, bones and all.

Meals like that became common. Chopper’s habitual routine quickly accelerated into seeing you more and more often, bringing with him small findings, from rocks to bear skulls when one happened to wander too close to your home. The fur even became a skin for your floor, dried and the hair perfectly combed. His English improved as well. The AI of his helmet seemed to mimic words and learn too, helping him fill in the words he didn’t know whenever there was a pause. Still he often decided it was amusing to mimic curses, mandibles clicking and shoulders shuddering with huffing laughter when he was scolded for it. He seemed partial to repeating ‘mother fucker' simply to entertain himself by making you scowl. At least, you reasoned, wasn’t a fussy eater, and Chopper chewed down on seconds more often than not before returning the gift of food with something like meat or a skull he had cleaned and sanded to crystal white.

Chopper regarded your small television set with curious eyes, arms spread over the back of your couch, legs apart, occupying as much room as he could physically manage to take up. The military was on, something about a new crisis in another part of the world. He wondered if they would be worthy sport when he was done here. They were armed and specially trained, by human standards, more skulls to adorn the wall of his ship. Spines could be made into jewellery. He doubted you would appreciate such gifts, even the skulls were a little bit too much for you. You were still human, and the Yautja had to remind himself of that often.

“What’s on the news?” You asked before sinking into the couch by his side, sighing as you rubbed at your hair, the tension of the days office work leaving you.

The Yautja hummed a series of clicks, arm moving to ease around you, gently coaxing you closer, “Military. Another war.” He shrugged, “Nothing uncommon for you humans.” Though it wasn’t an insult, just one of his factual observations.

“The usual then.” You yawned and let the alien press you to his side, mandibles flaring as his tongue flicked against his teeth, tasting the air in an odd display, “Sorry you had to wait for me to finish work. Accounting for a company takes time.”

Chopper nodded, hair flicking over his shoulders, “Money is of great value here. I understand.” He did in comparison to how trade worked on home-world. Fur for food and vice-versa. It was simple yet money was only a real way of life in the capital. He had little experience of the capital and had no desire to. A pup on a throne was of no concern to him until he bested his collection of beast skulls.

You were quiet at his side, soaking up the heat from his skin for a moment before speaking, “Can you tell me about where you’re from?” It was meek and quiet, hushed as you breathed softly and deeply against his side.

Dau-Ih'kui clicked his tusks before adjusting you pulling you closer still, onto his lap, tucking your legs around his thighs as he regarded your sleepy face, looking for signs of upset, “My home is much warmer than here. Like the jungle. Humid. My village and clan live at the edge of a rainforest. The trees are double these around your home. Carnivores do not disturb us. We are the...top.”

He peered down at you as you pressed your head to his chest, fingers curled over his thick shoulders, brushing at the spines over his shoulder blades, “Females rule and we live in peace. Our enemies are the clans moving on our territory but we trade otherwise with them. They bring pelts from the mountains. My father has sired me and fifteen others. A proud hunter. My mother hunts Xenomorph.”

“Xenomorph?” You peered at his burning eyes, “Another alien?”

“Parasites.” He growled, “They only feast and reproduce like vermin. I have lost clan brothers to those worms.”

You ran a hand over his spines and sighed against his shoulder again, “What do they look like?”

The Yautja grumbled, “Do not need to know. I would kill them before they got to you.” He flexed his shoulders and wrapped an arm around your waist.

It was touching, “You like me that much, huh?” You pushed your fingers into his skin.

Chopper tilted his head, a mandible reaching to graze at your cheek, “You...are important to me.” He confessed under his breath.

You smiled against his shoulder, “I love you.”

The Yautja caught his breath, holding it before he tilted his head, unaware of how to return the affection.

“I know you don’t see me like that... You reproduce and...” You closed your eyes against his skin. Chopper’s shoulders moved in a huffy laugh before he took your chin in his claws and made you look up at him, “As life-mate?” He questioned before both arms trapped you tight to his front, “Life span too small but...Great affection similar to it.”

It was again a factual statement under the guise of a hushed whisper but it made your hear throb, “I love you, Dau-Ih'kui.”

The pronunciation made him laugh softly, “Love you too.” He parroted back, grumbling around your name with his lisp laddened voice. Your heart swelled as you clutched the alien on your couch, trying to ignore the disbelief in your head as Dau-Ih'kui pressed his hands to your back and purred, a rumbling noise that vibrates against your own chest, littered with clicks. His mandibles relaxed, wiggling softly as he enjoyed your warmth against him.

It was another month and still no sign. Chopper was angsty at first, but calmed quickly with a new message. Still, he had no reason to be on Earth. He could spend the time exploring new worlds, hunting without the demands of his clan on his shoulders, yet he was choosing to remain by your side. His attachment was foolish, but he admired you more than he could formulate in the human language. It was perhaps more than admiration now, and he cursed the old and new gods as he watched you move around the kitchen, preparing dinner again for him. You’d used the deer he’d brought back, skinned and prepared. The gore of the kill hidden in the woods for the bears and wolves. He watched and he assessed, dreads pulled back in a band you had acquired for him, beads and feathers of your own creation hanging from the metal loops in his hair. You smelt different today. A perfume of those flowers you liked to wear, but never did you usually wear it for a working day at home. Nor did you dress so nicely. The bottoms were shiny and form fitting, letting the alien admire the curvature of your body, so different from the females of his own species. Smaller for one. Soft in another way.

You leaned over the counter, snatching a knife from the block. Chopper was on his feet, pressing his bare chest to your back as you fumbled with the weapon in your grasp.

The knife was slapped onto the counter surface by a large paw, claws flicking it out of the way as the Yautja grumbled above you, hot skin pressed along the curve of your spine, his mandibles flaring overhead. The claws dragged over the countertop, the meat in your grasp forgotten as you peered up at the fiery eyes above you.

“What’s up, baby?” You asked meekly at the intense gaze.

“You are dressed nicely…and smell of flowers.” He grumbled, inhaling near your head, searching for the scent as you moved your neck to the side. The tusks tapped at your skin, dragging over the skin until he found the smell, pushing his dangerous face closer to try and find what it was.

“Do you not like it?” You asked, tense as the Yautja snuffled and pinned you tighter against the counter.

Dau-Ih'kui purred softly, “It suits you.” And dared to move a little further, claws moving from the counter up to your sides, pressing into the shinning material of your jeans.

The claws pricked at your skin before you took a breath, “I just…” You pushed back against the alien, hips pressing backwards, “You treat me like a flower. I’m not delicate enough to break if you want this.”

Chopper was taken aback. You’d never really expressed a desire for such intimacy beyond laughing at his disgruntled noises and curious eyes when human mating rituals were displayed in programs.

His hands twisted, looping through your belt loops, tugging you close enough to press you to his solid front. The claws pricked at your skin again as he loomed forwards thumping you back against the counter, food long forgotten.

Chittering, his hands slid downwards, claws curling at the fabric of the waistband, pulling it to get a peak at the soft flesh there, “You want it like a Yautja?”

The vulgar implications sent your cheeks red, yet Chopper’s sandy cheeks didn’t move a shade.

“I want you, however you’ll me have it.” You confessed, fingers pressing into his shoulders, “I’m not Yautja, but I’m not a doll. I wont break.”

“So be it then.” Dau-Ih'kui growled, claws shredding through the waistband of your jeans before his clawed hands grappled your ass, heaving you upwards against his chest. He had every intention of tearing you bare there but was stopped by a palm to his chest.

“Upstairs…please? My room.” You asked softly, and the male was quick to comply, clutching you with one arm as he took the stairs, two at a time, and tore into your room, claws dragging pieces of wood away from your door.

The bed squeaked as you were thrown onto it, Chopper following with a prowling gait, shoulders wide and chest puffed up, spines flared. The Yautja growled before clicking at you harshly, stalking over to take what was laid out for him. Your eyes were wide like a deer, and Dau-Ih'kui snapped harshly when you defied him, leg snapping out to push him away from the bed. Your bare foot was pushed to the front of his kilt, thumping against the codpiece over his manhood.

“Not impressed?” He growled, mouth opening to hiss violently, dragging the band from his hair, tendrils spilling over his shoulders and back, the metal bands and chains rattling as he shed the kilt, dressed only in the Yautja version of underwear. The codpiece revealed nothing.

“Maybe if you show me, I’ll let you closer.” You bargained, knowing that playing into his power fantasy was the best way to get what you wanted.

“Female requires proof?” He teased, teeth clenched, purring as he snapped the buckle open for his codpiece, revealing a disturbingly flat surface.

Confusion flashed over your face. Chopper laughed his usual breathy chuckle as you pointed at the lack of anything between his legs. He approached as you floundered, chorded arms pushing into the mattress as he dragged you towards the edge. You were faced with the reality of his lack of anything, peering down, confused. The alien hissed and pushed his hand between his legs, two fingers spreading apart before he reached and revealed two flaps of skin.

“A sheath?” You blurted before you could stop yourself.

Chopper ignored the squeak, revealing the tip of a very alien looking cock inside of the lips, “Do you doubt me still?” He purred as he hiked you further up the bed, claws tearing at the tops of your jeans again.

“Fuck, hey, claws…No.” You whined as he ripped the seams downwards, peeling the pieces of faux leather jeans from your body. Rough palms glided down your skin, stroking the softness before he moved to pop your shirt open.

The Yautja paused when your curious fingers moved between his legs, a finger hooking into his sheath, feeling the slickness of it as the cock head pushed against it.

“On your back.” You asked breathily. Chopper growled, a deep, guttural noise, before complying, claws wrapped around your hips as you perched on his thighs, pushing a finger against either side of his sheath. With a deep breath you pushed them against the leathery skin and watched in wonder as the male twitched, mandibles flared wide as his dick poked free slowly, the head appearing from the corridor. You pushed your fingers in gently, working one against either side of his cock, slicking your way with Chopper’s natural lubrication. You pushed deeper gently, feeling a row of soft barbs either side of his dick as you explored further, his cock slowly slipping free between his legs. His hand snatched your own away from his sheath as you leaned over to press a kiss to his abdomen. The wet dick pressed against your chest, bobbing between your cleavage.

“No more.” He grumbled, clawed hands snatching you upwards, pressing you against the sheath, rocking his hips upwards as the final few inches of his erection slid free, hot against your sex as you moaned, rocking forwards into the motion and friction.

With a rumble, a clawed hand slid between your legs, his other pinning your leg as he teased upwards, sliding against the gushing wetness of your hole before dipping further upwards and over your clit. You sighed over the top of him.

“Fuck…Chopper.” You stuttered as he pushed a clawed finger upwards gently, trying to ease one inside of you without injury. The wetness made it easy to slide one in, but he offered no more stretch as he pumped his hand, pressing his rough palm to your clitoris, “Please.”

“The fight has gone from you.” He observed before dragging his finger free, ignoring the wetness on it in favour of throwing you back against the mattress, lubricated cock looming ominously over your stomach. Chopper was quick to pin your thighs backwards, exposing your vagina to his burning gaze.

“Its hard to have some…When faced with that.” You reached for his head, fingers running over the globe of his head and the brown skin there, pricking at the black and red spines with a moan as he pushed the head of his cock against your entrance.

“You want it like Yautja. I’ll give it to you, beloved.” He promised as he surged his hips forwards, growling at the resistance he was met with as the tapered head popped inside.

“Chopper…Fuck. Stop.” You gasped when he stilled, feeling the constriction of your walls around the soft barbs of his cock, the black coloured extensions digging into you as you tightened unbearably around him.

Dau-Ih'kui leaned down to press your heads together, mandibles stroking at the tops of your cheeks, “Still human. You are not made for this.” He hushed you gently before easing forwards again, brushing sensitive spots inside of you with the barbs of his cock. Your hips pushed against his, forcing a jolting amount inside of yourself.

“Fuck.” Even cursing seemed to take too much effort, and you moaned when Chopper pushed a clawed thumb against your clitoris, rubbing softly, knowing the reaction would help you to ease up. The purring rumbling against you made you smile as he slid forwards a little more, his cock still seated outside of you. With a rumble he eased forwards again and you moaned when the head brushed against your cervix, kissing it, not thumping against the barrier.

“No more, Chopper, you’re…as far as you can get.” You brushed a hand over his shoulders and moaned as he drew backwards, the barbs rushing against your walls before he started to move, in and out, evenly and slowly, working you up to a better pace.

The headboard cracked against the wall when Chopper picked up the pace, claws curling into the sheets, one hands set curling into your hip, pricking painfully, drawing dots of blood as he covered every inch of your body with his own. His thighs flexed with his hips as he slowly picked up the pace, forehead pressed against your own as he worked his cock in and out, a few inches outside of you. The sheer size made you feel immensely full, the length of it with the alien barbs and sharp was making your walls spasm, hitting the spots inside of you that were making you see stars. The wet squelch between your legs reminded you of the Yautja’s sheath. Wetness slicked down his dick as he thrust forwards and withdrew, huffing softly as you pressed kisses to his face and moaned in his ear, praising the size and power of him.

“Real Yautja breed their mates.” He rumbled, “But not today. You cannot take a Yautja knot.” He purred dirtily as you pushed your dull nails into his skin, vagina fluttering around his cock.

“Fuck, please. I want that.”

“Not now, little one. Another time.” He promised, cradling your cheek with a hand as he pounded into you roughly, feeling his own end nearing, being sure not to squash the whole of his cock into your small hole.

“I’m going to cum.” You whined against him, fingers curling tighter as you moaned again, the cock spearing you open driving into you. With a moan of the Yautja’s name, you felt yourself soar off the edge, walls spasming as wetness slicked your thighs.

Chopper growled throatily at the pressure around his cock before pumping himself inside, red hot cum burning against your walls as he filled you with ropes of cum. It was a lot, and you whined as he pulled his cock free, cum leaking down your thighs, dripping in rivulets down the soft skin.

“Your…” You tiredly peaked at your thighs, “Even your cum is… Is it neon?” You asked as you felt more rush out of you, wrecked from the pinning to the sheets.

Chopper huffed next to you, “You are tired…” He peered at your face and rolling eyes, “I told you that you could not handle a Yautja.” He pressed his head to your own.

“I think I handled one well enough.” You kissed his cheek as the male slid his arms around your form, cradling you close.

“Human didn’t do bad for her first try.”

“I’m glad we’ll be doing more of this.”

Chopper grumbled, “Infuriating woman. Sleep.” You only giggled at him.


End file.
